Taking part in the Missouri Livestock Symposium is all about planting that seed, a committee member said ahead of this weekend’s two days of agriculture-oriented seminars and presentations at the Kirksville Middle School.

It’s about planting a seed of thought, of ideas and of hoping those ideas spread across Missouri, the Midwest and beyond, said Andy Jackson, symposium committee member and Adair County producer.

“There’s a huge importance in bringing this to northeast Missouri,” she said. “It’s about understanding the global impact and the global life we’re in here in the livestock industry.”

This year’s keynote speaker is closely involved with that global environment, with his focus and livelihood of exporting livestock across the world.

Keynote speaker Tony Clayton, of Clayton Agri-Marketing of Missouri, is scheduled to kick off the symposium Friday night with his speech on how the global livestock market affects the price and market of livestock in the U.S. The keynote speech is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday.

“He’s been literally shipping live animals across the world,” Jackson said of Clayton.

Also on Friday, Missouri producers Rep. Tom Shively, of Shelbyville; and Harold Trump, of Lurary, will be recognized with the Agriculture Educators Lifetime Achievement award and the Northeast Missouri Livestock Person of the Year, respectively.

Saturday, which contains the bulk of the seminars, trade show and programs, features programs on beef cattle, foragers, equine issues, sheep, meat goats, stock dogs and around the home and farm.

Programs vary from how best to deal with pinkeye vaccinations among beef cattle to how to manage a farm estate and continuation process.

“It’s all about, is it applicable?” Jackson said. “Here’s an idea, is it going to be applicable, can I take this idea and make it work.”

The free symposium also features a beef supper Friday night and a governor’s style luncheon on Saturday.

“Here is this program and it’s amazing we’re able to put it together with what we have in the community,” Jackson said. “And the amazing thing about it, it’s absolutely free, free education, free information. They can pick and choose what they want to see and learn.”

For more information, including a full program list, visit www.missourilivestock.com or call the Adair County Extension Office at (660) 665-9866. All the events take place at the Kirksville Middle School, located at 1515 S. Cottage Grove, starting at 4 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.